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Comments of the Day: October 15, 2010
We live in a society where taking care of yourself is more often than not considered selfish. If you focus on yourself, you’re considered self-absorbed. Here’s what I know to be true: if I don’t make time to take care of ME, then I can’t give my time, my love, myself to others. Neglecting my own health eventually turns into a selfish act because neglecting to take care of myself eventually renders me unable to even attempt to be even a tiny bit selfless.
We all need time to regroup and recharge in efforts to restore our health. Please remember that taking time to rest is not selfish; it’s nothing you should feel guilty about. Remember that when you take that time to rest, you’re taking care of yourself so that you can give of yourself to others.
So tell me your plans for the weekend—what are you going to do for YOU?
Love,
Joanna
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Has everyone read “Too Tired to Jump Your Bones” by Dr. Sara Gottfried? In this fantastic article, Dr. G discusses the relationship between our thyroid hormones, among others, and libido. Here’s a taste of her fabulous read:
“What sets us up in a potential libido trap is that high-libido types are attracted to low-libido types, which places one on the path for disconnection unless one becomes an effective navigatrix. One important question for discernment is this: Are you satisfied with your sexual life? Are you or your partner experiencing any distress over your sexual connection?”
Please make sure you check this post out and leave any questions you might have for Dr. G in the comments section.
Comment of the day…
Anna says:
Thank you for the info. I am dealing with estrogen dominance and adrenal fatigue along with my Hashimoto’s. I was the one with the libido in my marriage. Now I have none, we should be matched… NOOO as soon as one loses their mojo, the other finds it. Nice.
In today’s Dear Thyroid letter, “Dear Thyroid, Dear Cancer, Dear Everything, Go AWAY” Gianna shares how she is using her illness for inspiration for her life. Here’s what she has to say:
“Dear Cancer,
I do love you because you inspire me to do what I want to be, but I hate you because you gave me so much pain and have killed and touched the people that I love. So please stay away and have a good day.”
If you haven’t already read this beautiful letter, please do so. Leave Gianna some love and support in comments!
Comment of the day…
Hèlen says:
Hi Gianna,
Thank you for sharing your letter and I do hope you can inspire others to help them cope with cancer. Social media is a great tool to do this. So good luck okay.
Have you read Nicole’s latest installment of Fat Thigh-Roid Woes, “Steadfast Solitude?” If not, let me encourage you to click on over NOW and check out what she has to share about her experience with relationships and Graves’. Nicole encourages us run like the wind from a relationship that zaps our energy, especially when we’re dealing with illness. An excerpt:
“Don’t stick around with someone who is getting annoyed with you and your disease and bullies you because of it. Don’t profusely apologize and start crying when he/she tries to turn the tables on you. Stand your ground, and ditch them so you can put all the energy you have ON YOURSELF, instead of wasting it on someone else. Don’t settle for a dysfunctional relationship for the sake of being in a relationship. Savor the Solitude.”
Please take time to read this great article from Nicole and share your own thoughts on being in a relationship while dealing with illness. Nicole wants to hear from us!
Comment of the day…
HD says:
Nicole,
Great article again.
Men are weird at times, aren’t they? (But what would I know. Grin! – And I do not need praise for this comment either, though it was hard to admit that we’re weirdos sometimes.)
Solitude is good at times. Charges your batteries, the physical and emotional ones. Also, I think, it makes you gain “distance” to things that bugged you.
Take care,
HD
Today’s acrostic poem using the word ENOUGH was written by Linny. She has had enough with thyroid disease and doctors and everything else that goes along with this illness. Please read her fantastic poem and lend her your support in comments.
If you haven’t already, or even if you have, please consider writing your own acrostic poem. Send all submissions to Katie. Write your hearts out, you beautiful darlings.
Tags: Comment of the Day, community building, Dear Thyroid, graves disease support, hashimoto's disease support, Health Community, health support community, hyperthyroid support, hypothyroid support, literary community, literary support, thyroid cancer support, thyroid community, thyroid literary community, thyroid support community
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8 Responses to “Comments of the Day: October 15, 2010”
Leave a Reply to Linny
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Thank you Joanna for reminding us of this measure.
I know after a week like this being kicked around and not sleeping etc. ,leaves me with little I can cope with. As my tremer starts, and I endlessly pace the floors wondering what I should do first, it is so refreshing to have someone tell me its ok, don’t do anything right now except what you have to.
If Graves it’s help enough, I live in a world with a trangle of women who make the Bermuda Triangle look like a visit to Disney! Mother~ daughter generations passed a wicked spell on us. I was born with my mother and grandmother at each other. Now my daughter and my mother. Watching as this happens granddaughters…I know this isn’t about Graves, but all of us didn’t get this bad without a trigger!
I am a HSP, {hypersenitive senitive people}. The other women in my live are Type A. I am intutive as well which in many cases just makes it worse.
I could stay at home all the time. I do make myself go out and “mingle”, but it is all so overwhelming, and too much stimulation. I know we have others here like me. I imagine they might feel uncomfortable about telling all this personal stuff.
When I went thru grief counciling, years ago, after watching my beautiful husband drop to the ground and die at my feet, {34} life can not be safe anymore.
I became public. My life, watched and critized, how will she raise her small children, where will she go to church, how will she spend her money. Who will she date. Why did she throw that “nice” (ha)man out? Did she take his money, who does she see now.
Did my family and friends hold my hand? NO Did I get scolded? Yes and everybody had an opinion….and then now they wonder, why did she break? Why doesn’t she get out of her house and on and on….is it any wonder “we” get sick? I know your out there just like me. Ripped up and torn up and they aren’t done with us yet!@
Bla bla bla bla…..who gives a shit.
I am going to a funeral this morning. And then a birthday party. What the hell am I doing I’m not a rubber ball to jump from these emotions and then have my mother call me five times yesterday to tell me how to frickin breath!@@#@#%#!134…..OK, I’LL STOP.
BUT I AM THANKFUL TO ALL OF YOU HERE THAT CARE AND HURT TOO MAYBE MORE MAYBE LESS…..LOVE, LINNY
ONE MORE THOUGHT,LET ME PAINT YOU A PICTURE.
For me, having Graves, could be compared to being “blind”…..but!!! here it is……but having the people in my life always moving the frickin furniture around for kicks!
sorry if you are tired of my messages….But in regard to sharing how we feel with our “issues”
I read about the “Spoon Theory” ,
it is an interesting way to begin a conversation with someone we want to explain how those of us with illnesses have to plan our everyday
In general it suggests that we begin our day with 12 spoons. Each task we perform uses up a spoon.
Unlike healthy individuals who can do whatever they want with endless energy….
we now know that there is a limit that if we go over we are depleted.
This risk is going to take us a long spell to recover.
So knowing when we have to quit for each day is essential to our wellbeing, not lazy.
I want to also add that I think those that regularly respond to these notes could push it a lttle more to get a real dialog going. However Nice it is to say well done etc….unless a newcomer, is a bit like signing a yearbook. There is a popular group here who support one another and that is wonderful but do we really get enough out of the opportunity to share with others who are looking for meaningful dialoge :to comfort , educate , question, support ideas, opinions [other than our own} without scolding or diminishing a study in discovering these serious effictions.
It may be difficult, in my most humble opinion, for others to join in when a conversation that could happen on the various private sites set up for more personal exchanges.
Please consider these ideas. My heart is on my shoulder and I mean no disrespect but I am saying this so others might feel like there would be room for more diverse opinions.
Lovingly expressed for the comfort of all who need connections. Linny
Linny – Dear Thyroid isn’t about saying what others might want to hear. Dear Thyroid is about everyone, yourself included, saying anything they want. Being honest with yourself and with others. If you can relate to what someone is saying, connect with him or her and let her know. If you disagree – say as much with the same fervor and gusto. We don’t censor opinions, even when we disagree. this is very much an open forum.
xo
Agree, I understand, but that is not what I meant, I tried……
It isn’t about what people don’t want to hear either!
Sure Dear Thyroid is about unloading the “stuff”, but aren’t ya trying to send out hope for others too? ie:success stories
If people are still sick, then what they have been doing isn’t working!
Ideas that haven’t crossed their minds aren’t arguments.
It’s a good idea as well as telling the achey breaky heart stores to add some success and good news too!
Saying what helps vs saying whats wrong is a positive /negitive.
Negitivity keeps illness going.
Benson – Thanks for sharing your point of view, we appreciate it. One of the greatest things about Dear Thyroid is that we are an open forum. We celebrate new ideas, even disagreements.
Dear Thyroid is much more than unloading ‘stuff’, in our opinion. We believe that part of the healing process and part of dealing with this disease embodies every element of the human condition, including anger. The opportunity to release that anger is as healing as expressing joy.
If you read through the site; I think you’ll see and love all of the wonderful letters written by thyroid patients doing incredibly well. We celebrate those letters and comments as much as we celebrate comments that express the rage and sorrow associated with thyroid disease and thyroid cancer.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope we see you around.
Take care,
Katie
You are quite right about “taking care of myself” being seen as selfish, even when others know you are sick. I can’t tell you how many times I was hassled by an old boss. Finally I had to sit him down and explain that, yes, I did need to get home before 9PM (after being at the office since 7:30 or 8AM) so I could go for a walk or do some Pilates and make myself a decent, healthy meal, otherwise I’d be totally worthless. There really is something wrong with our world! It’s not as if we’re sitting on velvet sofas eating chocolate-covered strawberries with hunky valets giving us pedicures. If only.
/off soapbox